


The Saint & The Sprite

by Missmumau



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:09:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27642583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missmumau/pseuds/Missmumau
Summary: Alice and Jasper's parents had never intended for them to connect.  Alice was meant for Jasper's older brother.  But could this exciting, lively woman enchant this quiet, bookish scholar?
Relationships: Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> All the story outline is taken from Debra Dier's novel, Saint's Temptation

London May 1816

She was the last woman in world that he would ever wanted to see. Alice Cullen’s mouth turned down at that realisation. She couldn’t dwell on the decision she had made seven years ago, even if sometimes doubts did arise unbidden.  
But today was not a day for doubts. She paced Jasper’s library, fingers caressing the leather chair behind his desk. She wondered idly if he thought of her as he sat there, as she had often thought of him over the years. Would he remember her fondly or, more likely, as young and foolish.  
She looked up as the door opened and any hope that time had diminished her attraction to him completely evaporated. Jasper stood, back ramrod straight as only a soldier’s could be. His hair was shorter now, the silky blonde waves cut off and the gentle, shy look that she had loved was replaced with one of stoic patience and forbearance.  
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. It was completely unavoidable.” Jasper said as his long stride quickly covered the distance to Alice and took her hand. Even through her glove, she felt the electricity bolt at his touch. She looked up at him to see if she had affected him too, but his face remained impassive.  
Jasper quickly scanned the room. “Where is your chaperone, Alice? Surely even you have not come out unchaperoned.”  
Alice grimaced at his disapproving tone. Yes, he still thought that she was impetuous and scatterbrained and coming here like this would do nothing to improve his image of her. But still she had to try.  
“Aunt Esme decided to wait in the carriage. She doesn’t agree with what I’m doing but since I was going to come here with or without her, she choose to accompany me. How have you been?” Alice was pleased with how calm she sounded despite her inner turmoil.  
Jasper’s jaw softened, “Never better. Thank you. And you are looking well. But I doubt that you have come to see me, unchaperoned, in the middle of the day, to enquire after my health.”  
“No. Indeed not. But your scars. They have healed? I read about your exploits in the newspapers. You are quite the hero.” She had no doubt that any wounds that she may have inflicted were long since healed but she couldn’t help worrying about his more recent injuries.  
Jasper inwardly flinched. Some of his visible scars may have healed but the inner ones he wasn’t sure would ever be mended. “They have healed readily enough. But what is it that can I help you with?”  
A pain stabbed through Alice. He didn’t want to prolong her visit. Not even as a friend from a time long ago. If his demeanour was anything to go by, he wanted her out of his house and his life as soon as possible. Well, no point in dragging this out then.  
“I was at the Hale’s party last weekend. It was quite the crush and I had to take some fresh air,” she started. “I overheard a voice, one that I didn’t recognise.” Alice continued to tell her story getting more animated as it went on. Jasper asked relevant questions but his calmness infuriated Alice.  
“Well, I can see coming here was a waste of time! You don’t believe anything I have said is important!” She glared accusingly at him.  
“That’s because nothing of importance has been said.”  
“I know what I heard, Jasper!” And as she spread her arms wide in exasperation, her reticule knocked over a small statue on his desk. She watched in horror as it fell, landing on the tip of his boot.  
Jasper closed his eyes with pain and a hiss escaped from between his lips.  
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”  
“Well, I don’t need all my toes,” he replied lightly, regaining his composure.  
She hid her smile as she bent to retrieve the statue from the carpet, not noticing that he had done likewise. As she rose, she looked up and her cheek collided with his jaw. She stumbled backwards, dropping the statue and holding her face. Jasper stood upright and gently moved his jaw from side to side, seemingly to ensure that all his teeth were in place.  
Alice wished she could die on the spot. Tears of embarrassment filled her eyes as she tried to briskly turn to leave. But, as she later mused, things always happen in threes, and her heel caught in the hem of her dress, tripping her. Jasper, thinking quickly, grasped her and pulled her towards him, breaking her fall. She stood there, immobilised, drinking in the heady scent of him. When she chanced a peek at his face, he looked pained and then he swiftly schooled his features into a more relaxed, impartial look. No, he most certainly did not respond to her in the way that she still responded to him.  
Steeling her nerves, she stepped out of his arms and said sadly, “Jasper, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy.”  
Jasper gave a short, sharp laugh, “I haven’t been happy in a long while, Alice.”  
“But they sounded very dangerous,” she insisted.  
“I don’t think that two men talking, most probably full of bravado after having drunk too much, could in any way complicate my life.”  
Alice’s temper flared, “Lord Whitlock, I don’t remember you being so stubborn!”  
“War changes a man, Lady Alice, and not always for the better,” Jasper countered.  
Alice again turned to go, briefly giving thanks that this time she harmed neither herself nor anything else around her and stormed off to open the library door. Unfortunately for Alice, the aged oak door proved too heavy for a hasty exit and the impact of flinging it open and storming off was lost.  
Jasper let out a low laugh and Alice turned sheepishly. “Jazz, just promise me you’ll look out for yourself.”  
Jasper smiled fondly at her, “I will, Ali. I will.”  
This time Alice was able to open the door. Once outside she rested against it and thought determinedly that if he wasn’t serious about looking out for himself, she would be!


	2. Seven Years Earlier

Prelude - Seven Years Earlier

July 1809

Night had fallen and all the inhabitants of the public inn had long since retired for the evening. All save one. Needing another half day’s journey before reaching his destination, a solitary figure sat in the corner of the library. Jasper Whitlock, Earl of Manly, Baron of Thresby, youngest son of the Duke of Maringate, cast a resigned eye over the summons in his hand, dressed up as an invitation, to spend the holidays at his ancestral home with his father and brother. He was certain that his older twin brother, James, would see the seal on the envelope and throw the missive, unopened, straight into the closest fireplace. But he, Jasper, always the obedient son, had straightened his spine, swallowed his pride, closed up his London home and set off to his father’s house. Not for the first time he cursed his agreeable nature and wished he had even the smallest streak of rebellion that James had in droves.

He was so engrossed in his melancholy thoughts, that he startled when the door opened and a small, dark haired woman wearing only her nightclothes and dressing gown, backed into the room brandishing a fire poker at a man clearly in his cups who was swaying slightly from side to side.  
“C’mon love. A pretty dolly bird like you, surely you’d like to keep a man company for awhile.” He slurred, stumbling forward into the outstretched poker.  
“If you step one foot closer to me, I shall shriek like a scalded cat and bring hell and fury down upon your head,” hissed the woman.  
“Oh, now. Don’t play games, missy.” The man smiled lecherously.  
At this, Jasper coughed, making his presence known. “It’s obvious, Laurent, that the lady does not court your attention.”  
The woman turned her wary grey eyes to the corner of the room where Jasper stood, uncertain who he meant to help, her or her attacker.  
Laurent frowned and squinted his eyes, “Which one are you, the Devil or the Saint?”  
Jasper walked towards him, ignoring his question. “Laurent, I suggest you go. I will escort the young lady safely back to her room.”  
“What the devil! Do you mean to take her for yourself? I shan’t allow it!” Laurent bellowed raising his fists.  
Jasper raised his eyes to the sky but before he could square up, the small woman deftly moved aside , raised and then quickly brought the poker down atop the drunken man’s head. An audible crack was heard, the man was felled and Jasper shuddered at the sound.  
“Hmph,’ the woman sniffed, and then narrowed her eyes at her would be saviour, “Do not presume to take over where he left off.”  
Jasper merely gazed at the figure on the ground and said dryly, “Laurent always did have trouble holding his drink”. He then turned and looked properly at the firebrand holding the poker, “Are you alright?”.  
The woman, finally realising that Jasper was no threat, lowered the poker and pulled her wrapper more tightly around herself. “I’m fine. I couldn’t sleep and was looking for the library for a book to read when this, this” words seem to escape her “this LOUT accosted me! Do I LOOK like a dolly bird?” she cried most indigently.  
Jasper lowered his head to hide the smile threatening to escape from his lips and said, “Perhaps there would be no misunderstanding if you didn’t wander around in your night clothes in a public inn unattended.”  
The calmness in his voice took all the anger and fear out of the woman and she laughed at the absurdity of the situation. It was a light, tinkling sound, clear in the quiet of the night.  
“Perhaps that would be best as I do seem to have a great infinity of finding myself in the most peculiar positions”, she laughed merrily.  
Jasper looked up and his heart stuttered at the sight. She was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. Whereas before there was a woman agitated and frightened now he saw a sprite smiling charmingly at him. Dark curls framed her face, elven eyes laughed mischievously and dimples edged her lips as she smiled and said, “Do you think he’s dead? Will the authorities come for me or must I save my family’s good name and flee to the continent. They will be upset as we’ve only just returned. Oh well, I suppose there’s no use for it now. It’s back to Europe I must go. And to think, Aunt Esme was saying that I’d only recently started to learn how to act like a lady.” Her mind suddenly took another turn, “I do wish drunk men had more sense than to wander around intimidating young ladies into killing them.”  
Jasper stood with his mouth agape at her tirade. He nudged the man on floor with his foot. A low groan escaped the crumpled figure . “It seems he lives but I expect that he will have a damnable headache in the morning. And, as there is no need for your imminent departure to the continent, I will escort you back to your room.”  
He smiled gently at the woman who barely concealed a grin.  
“Thank you for your chivalry but it would be best if I returned alone. Otherwise, with this evening’s luck, someone might find us and before we had turned around twice we would be married and on our honeymoon!” She made to walk over the slumbering man to the door but her foot caught in his coat and she lurched forward, coming into contact with a hard wall. Raising her head, she looked up into Jasper’s shocked eyes, and realised her mistake. It was no wall but a chest, well defined and muscular.

Jasper held her upright by her arms and knew that he should instantly release her as would any gentleman of good breeding but her soft feminine curves had moulded themselves into his body and his eyes fixated on her tongue licking her bottom lip nervously. He could no more let her go at that moment than he could fly to the moon. She laughed again, her voice nervously deep and throaty, “I think I can stand now. You will have to add clumsiness to my litany of many faults.”  
Jasper immediately released her and stepped backwards, embarrassed by his own lack of gallantry and said quietly, “I have yet to see any faults.”  
“Oh, la. Well already tonight I’ve shown myself to be impetuous by leaving my room unattended, clearly a murderess in the making, a chatterbox and now clumsy. Aunt Esme will despair of me ever finding a husband among the ton when I come out later this year.”

Jasper thought privately that this dazzling creature would never have to worry about being a spinster. Rather that she would have to send in the cavalry to get rid of all the beaux that would be sniffing at her heels.  
“What did he mean? Are you the devil or the saint?” her soft voice broke through his haze.  
“Well, it’s simple really. People thought it amusing to label my brother and myself as the devil and the saint. We have very different temperaments,” he added ruefully.  
“In that case, since it’s quite obvious you’re not the devil, you must, by process of elimination, be the saint.”  
Jasper unconsciously twitched at her statement. Yes, he was the saint. The quiet, bookish, steady one. The one that could be counted on to return home at a moment’s notice. The boring one. James was the brave one. The defiant one. The one who knew what he wanted and took it. Jasper could only stand in his brother’s shadow. He knew what type of man he, Jasper, was and in his own mind, it was a poor comparison to James.  
“Since I would prefer to leave these monikers in the past, I shall introduce myself. Jasper Whitlock.”  
She extended her hand, “Alice Cullen.” His large hand wholly encompassed her small one. “I expect we would have met tomorrow in any event.”  
When Jasper looked quizzically at her, Alice continued, “You are the son of the Duke are you not?”  
“Yes, the younger. But how are you acquainted with my father?”  
“He was a close boyhood friend of my own father. They and Aunt Esme thought it would be advantageous to introduce me slowly into society so we will be summering with you. They think it might help to tame any wildness in my character before I come out later this year. We have stayed with him often before.” She looked at Jasper thoughtfully. “I’m surprised we’ve never met.”  
Jasper shrugged. “James and I were most likely away at school.”  
Hearing a soft voice in the hallway calling her name, Alice’s eye grew wide. “It’s my maid looking for me. If she finds us here together we will both be compromised and we really WILL be engaged. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that she carefully stepped over the unconscious man and quickly exited the room, gently closing the door behind her.  
Jasper blinked. Never in his quiet life had so much excitement happened in such a short period of time. She really must be a sprite and have enchanted him. This sprite called Alice.

**Author's Note:**

> Being a true Jalice fan, and having greedily read so many wonderful stories, I've decided to throw my hat into the ring. I hope someone enjoys reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you do, you must read Saint's Temptation, it is a much better (and published) story than mine. So, I suppose, in essence, it's a crossover?


End file.
